Having a mother-in-law from the South definitely has its advantages, and this classic fried chicken is one of them. I had never had okra until my wife, Liz, introduced me to it. Although I’ve eaten it many ways since, her mom’s cornmeal-coated version is easily the best — and another reason I thank Sherla for opening my eyes to Southern flavor. Here I adapted these favorites to cook over the grill instead of on the stovetop.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 4 hr |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- One 3- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces (see Cook’s Note)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 2 tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- Peanut oil, for frying
- Pork lard, for frying
- Fried Okra, recipe follows
- Hot honey, for garnish
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for garnish
- Peanut oil, for frying
- Pork lard, for frying
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup soda water
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 10 okra pods, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1/2 bunch parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and place it in a resealable bag. Whisk together the buttermilk, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, the onion powder, garlic powder, celery seed and hot sauce. Reserve 1/4 cup of the buttermilk mixture, then pour the rest over the chicken in the bag. Marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours, but better for 8 hours.
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, black pepper, paprika, cayenne and a three-finger pinch of kosher salt in a large shallow dish. Add the 1/4 cup reserved buttermilk mixture to the flour and mix with your fingers to get some craggy pieces of flour.
- Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Set a large cast-iron pan on the grill over coals. Carefully fill it halfway up the sides with equal parts peanut oil and pork lard. (You can also just use canola oil to fry.) Heat the oil to 350 to 375 degrees F and keep it there.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and dredge it in the flour mixture, making sure to press it well onto the chicken. Shake off any excess before frying. Begin frying the chicken in batches, turning the pieces every couple of minutes until they are deep golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Transfer the chicken to a sheet tray lined with a rack and sprinkle with salt. Serve with the fried okra, hot honey and lemon and lime wedges.
- Set a large cast-iron pan on the grill. Fill it halfway up the sides with equal parts peanut oil and pork lard. (You can also use canola oil to fry.) Heat the oil to 360 degrees F.
- In a shallow dish, combine the flour, paprika, cayenne and salt. In a separate shallow dish whisk together the egg and soda water. Place the cornmeal in a third dish and season with salt to taste.
- Add the okra into the flour mixture and toss, then shake off any excess. Add the okra to the egg mixture, then dip it into the cornmeal. Deep-fry the okra for until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels and season with salt.
- Add the parsley sprigs, if using, to the oil and fry until the oil stops popping and the parsley is crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the okra and parsley with the fried chicken.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 1477 |
| Total Fat | 106 g |
| Saturated Fat | 22 g |
| Carbohydrates | 85 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 45 g |
| Cholesterol | 169 mg |
| Sodium | 1352 mg |
Reviews
Please be kind….I am not rating yet because I am looking for clarification. The recipe says “2” cups of flour, but in the show she clearly states “1” cup. Which is it? I have never made fried chicken and want to get the ratio right. Thanks!
Michael, Sherla’s fried chicken recipe was AMAZING!!
The only tweek we made was the flour. We made a gluten-free flour blend of white rice flour, tapioca starch & potato starch. We used one cup of our GF blend mixed with the cup of corn starch. It worked perfectly!! I have never had such crispy crunchy chicken in my life!!
Thank you for sharing!! And thank Lizzy, too… it must have been difficult for her to get through filming that episode. ❤️
PS – I made the backs too!! I grew up in Akron & we always went to White House Chicken in Barberton!! O-H!!
Jonee & Daniel Ketchum
The only tweek we made was the flour. We made a gluten-free flour blend of white rice flour, tapioca starch & potato starch. We used one cup of our GF blend mixed with the cup of corn starch. It worked perfectly!! I have never had such crispy crunchy chicken in my life!!
Thank you for sharing!! And thank Lizzy, too… it must have been difficult for her to get through filming that episode. ❤️
PS – I made the backs too!! I grew up in Akron & we always went to White House Chicken in Barberton!! O-H!!
Jonee & Daniel Ketchum